Time, up until the day of the funeral, appeared to be motionless. Like a wrinkle had creased that period and snagged hold of every proper functioning sense that Rey had, and thwarted her ability to normally proceed through the typical daily routines that were expected of her. Everything remained a blur within the days that followed as she had spent most of that time crying tears to the point where she was certain her tear ducts had been drained completely. Alas, life that surrounded her seemingly continued to carry on at its regular leisure.

Rey indomitably spent the few remaining days of her bereavement from work lounging, mainly inhabiting the hammock stationed to the left corner of the house's front porch. To those passing the residence from the street she easily remained furtively hidden behind the stonework of the craftsman's architectural design.

Finn and Hux had resumed their normal work schedules and tended to the bait shop. Of course, that wasn't without her reassuring them, time after time, that she could manage taking care of herself while they were gone. She wasn't that helpless for fuck's sake even though the company would undoubtedly be well missed.

She had planned on returning to work by the end of the week after finishing up some last-minute errands anyways, regarding the relevance of Poe's untimely death: one of which was meeting a lawyer within the later hours of the afternoon to discuss the impression of him having a beneficiary and a will that she'd been uncertain of him having. It wasn't as if the topic had ever needed to be brought up, really.

Feeling like a bum although managing to get a morning shower in, her only source of entertainment had solely come down to the aspect of watching their neighbors go about their every day routines. At precisely 7:30 A.M. the sounds of innocent laughter from the kids residing within the residence to the left of her would barrel out of the front door with excitement to start the new school day. They promptly returned at 3:35 that afternoon with coherent babbles of the day's thrilling events to their mother. At least, it was what was considered to be 'exciting' in the eyes of a child.

Within that time frame of the neighboring kids filing into the backseat of their parents' cobalt blue, four-door Toyota Camry, a man - whom she presumptuously believed to live further down the road - would pass by on his morning run with the louder-than-necessary alternative rock music resonating through his ear buds. She could almost regard his pace as being set to the music that was currently in queue.

No sooner than as the runner passed by their house Rey would see the elderly man, residing across the street hobble his way to the end of his driveway for the morning newspaper – his grey hair slightly disarray from sleep moments prior. As usual he always adorned a visually apparent blue, checkered-plaid robe with a white undershirt peeking out from the top of the garment with a pair of gray slacks, and matching slippers that had surely seen better days prior to the given moment.

Rey puffed out a breath in that of a heavy sigh. What in the hell are you doing with your life? She incited wordlessly to herself, scoffing with an enhanced crease between her brows.

If there was one lesson that she should've learned through substantial losses over the years it was that life was precious and short. She was old enough to understand that constantly dwelling over the past and what she could've done differently to change such events from ever happening, wasn't going to bring Poe or her parents back.

Let the past die, she attempted to tell herself on more than one occasion. Although saying the words within her mind and actually going about obeying them were completely difference obstacles to overcome when one had suffered from such grievances in life.

Frowning, Rey realized that she had willfully allowed herself to become more alienated from those surrounding her out of sheer habit from constantly not having anyone else to rely on. The large gathering at the funeral should've made it obvious that she wasn't the only one who'd lost someone she cared about until she was ultimately alone with only the company of her thoughts to consider it.

She scowled at how selfish she must've appeared. Finn and Hux had known Poe longer than she and yet they wasted no time trying to settle back into somewhat of a normal lifestyle. Then again, the everyday necessities of life piling up on the kitchen counter disguised as paper billings were surely not about to pay themselves.

She needed something new – a change. Something that could be a healthier source of remedy when she wasn't able to paint; which had sadly suffered whilst having to juggle wedding planning and work. Even now, within her time of affliction painting seemed like a sore reminder of that past where it had once been her only source of comfort.

How does one go about picking up the fragile remnants of life when nothing else seemed to quench that irreparable heartache?

An overwhelming sense of déjà vu washed over her that she'd somehow reverted back to the life she had purposely, left behind all those years ago in London. During those years of short-lived happiness Rey had been so busy making goals and aspirations with someone whom she thought she'd spent forever with to even consider what she wanted for herself. Only now all those plans had suddenly come to an abrupt halt.

Grimacing, she realized she'd unwittingly traded her lifestyle as an aspiring artist to become a housewife, and she couldn't help but feel lost - again. But who was the woman that she'd manage to become?

She knew it was just a matter of picking up the pieces, and figuring out where she belonged in this world. But where she needed to start was something that she hadn't quite figured out. At this point, she wished a sign would spontaneously fall from the sky into her lap, pointing her with the right direction of where to go even though the thought was silly to even consider.

Ding.

Surprised by the unexpected alert, Rey yelped and felt her muscles jump at the long forgotten sound of a text message being delivered to her phone. Taking a breath, she reached for the device that had been laying face down on her stomach, allowing her frown to curve into a smile while she read the message displayed on the screen.

– Leia 09:27 AM –
Making a coffee run for the boys. Care to join? My treat.

Rey considered the woman's offer, knowing that the 'boys' she was referring to only had to of been Finn and Hux; which meant that they must've told her Rey was still holding down her usual position at the house.

Leia had always made it a habit to stop by the bait and art shops while out running her mid-morning errands around town. On more than one occasion there had been times where she happily provided Rey her company during the slower periods of the day, or making coffee runs for them when they were too busy to make it for themselves.

While Leia always insisted it was because of her conveniently being in town that day, Rey couldn't help but wonder if it was the woman's therapeutic way of relieving the urge to work, having retired from the law firm just months prior after working nearly three decades in the practice. Not that she could blame Leia any.

As she went to tap the 'reply' button she watched the three little dots waver below the previous message, acknowledging the fact that another message was shortly incoming.

– Leia 09:28 AM –
And I won't accept NO for an answer.

Rey chuckled lightheartedly at the woman's renowned persistence. In some way, she couldn't have been more grateful as she'd indubitably considered the woman in question to be more of a motherly figure than Shara had ever been; who had only acknowledged Rey with a fleeting glance in her direction the day of the funeral.

Even if her son was an insensible asshole, Rey always enjoyed Leia's suggested company. Besides, the vociferous growling of her stomach, alerting her that it was on the verge of eating itself inside out, was becoming harder to ignore.

– Rey 09:30 AM –
Okay. Be there in 20. :)

– Leia 09:30 AM –
Any preference in drink?
Or do you want the usual?
Pastries? Sandwiches?

Rey narrowed her eyes in thought, perceiving the text on her phone as the unseen menu of what the local Starbucks had to offer. She had always passed up caffeine and favored one of the fruity blends of tea, particularly the Summer Sunset in which consisted of pineapple and a fruity passion blend.

Now, she was definitely considering a beverage that would counteract the sleeping medication's prolonged grogginess she had been prescribed to ease the passing of nighttime hours since Poe's death. Begrudgingly, insomnia had become a less than welcoming factor since then.

Chewing her upper lip in thought, Rey's thumbs danced across the keyboard on her screen as she typed out her order.

– Rey 09:32 AM –
Venti Caramel Macchiato, double shot of espresso and extra caramel and extra whip cream
A chocolate chunk muffin
Actually...make that 2

– Leia 09:34 AM –
: thumbs up emoji :

Rey smiled gratefully; though the woman on the receiving end of her message couldn't see it.

**

The distinct aroma harbored within the signature blend of coffee grounds hung predominantly in the air just outside the café's closed door. It was a scent that remained faint yet had undeniably been enough for anyone to recognize the fragrance that any coffee shop had to offer.

The moment that Rey opened the door to cross over the main entrance of the facility's threshold was enough to send a wave of salaciously blended aromas, assailing her senses with only the slightest inhale: varying from assorted teas and coffee grounds with a subtle hint regarding their small selection of sandwiches in the deli, and the sweet smell of pastries from the bakery.

It was an atmosphere that always remained more than welcoming for those who intended to seek a somewhat peaceful, yet affable environment to lounge in for hours on end – depending on that person's purpose for being there, of course. Even if they were able to easily tune out the harsh sounds of the blender and frother from the baristas busy at work behind the counter.

The more secluded area located to the right of the facility's main entrance, lying adjacent to the coffee bar and far dimmer in lighting, was apparent enough to be where employers from nameless corporations favored to meet with their potential employees for interviews. The employers were always anticipated to be dressed sophisticatedly in indistinct-colored suits of black and darker shades of grey and dark blue. If the few spaces of booth seats weren't taken up by said individuals it was also the preferred location for high school and college students alike to sit during after hours of class, doing homework whilst enjoying their beverage of choice.

The area most ascendant to a majority of the café's customers was positioned to the immediate left of the entrance. Large windows always remained as the leading source of lighting during the business' daytime hours. The choice of seating varied with preference: high-rise bar stools with complimentary circular tables were stationed closest to the windows overlooking the parking lot while leather-upholstered, overstuffed chairs surrounding a smaller coffee table were strategically positioned to the center portion of the facility.

Magazines purposely targeting a broad range in audience were strewn across the tops of each table. However, they for the most part, were generally overlooked for the sheer fact of patrons bringing their laptops, iPads and other electronic devices to take advantage of the café's free WiFi.

Aside from the preferred general populace area that Starbucks had to offer, Rey always took to the outdoor veranda seating; especially when the weather was expected to stay within the upper 70s for the majority of the late morning. She couldn't have been more pleased to discover Leia had withheld the same thoughts, regarding the lone occupant of the outdoor sitting area and, humorously, the only person within the entire building that took any interest in reading the complimentary newest issue of Time magazine.

Leia glanced up from the concealed article she had been engrossed in moments before of taking notice to Rey's arrival, acknowledging her with a vividly warm smile.

"Fancy finally seeing you out and about, my dear," Leia commented as she stood from the whickered chair's cushion to pull Rey into that of a receiving embrace.

Rey returned the woman's tender gesture, silently and happily with a gratuitous smile in which had been the most she'd willingly offered anyone up to that point.

"How are you holding up?" Leia inquired with concern etched into her gentle features as they each took to their own seats crossways from the other. "I haven't seen or heard much from you since the funeral. Well, aside from Finn assuring me that you've done a fine job of holding down the fort at home."

Rey acknowledged the light tease with a short chuckle. "Honestly, I'd like to say it's getting better, but I'm not so sure if that's really the case?" She finished as if it were more of a question to herself rather than it being an answer to Leia's question.

"It's only been a matter of days, Rey." Leia assured soothingly, crossing one knee over the other as she leaned further into the side of the chair closest to Rey. "No one is expecting you to get over such a loss that quickly. We all have our own ways of dealing with grief and you're certainly entitled to your own way as well."

Rey's face turned wistful. For a brief moment she had been able to forget the unwarranted happenings that rendered within the past week, but to further ensure Leia that she understood she issued a brisk nod in response. Taking advantage of the momentary silence, she reached for the latte that was pleading for her attention on the table top, purposely to welcome the heat of its liquid content to ease down the apparent lump that had formed in her throat.

Rey closed her eyes, allowing the heavily exerted amount of caffeine to bring her problematic mind up to that of a properly functioning speed; at least enough to be able to carry on a fully stable conversation without breaking down.

"I know." Rey finally managed to issue shortly in response to Leia's prior statement; worrying her brows into a prominent crease she idly tapped her index finger against the cup's cardboard cozy in thought. "I just – I feel if I move on too quickly it will make it harder to remember him."

Leia cocked her head knowingly, considering her words carefully whilst taking a quick sip from her smaller cup containing the contents of her chai tea latte. "Moving on isn't necessarily what you should consider it to be. More or less you should view it as being somewhere along the lines of 'moving forward.'"

Rey eyed her quizzically while leaning over to place her cup on the table, trading it for one of the two muffins she had Leia order. "What's the difference?"

"There's a significant difference, actually." Leia countered assertively, but also with gentleness. "Moving on is what you do after someone tragically dumps you at the altar. Of course, you're going to do whatever means necessary to push any thoughts of that explicit bastard aside from ever coming back into your life."

Rey snorted, stifling the blatant laugh in regards to Leia's intermittent need to casually throw all modesty aside in exchange for the valid use of vulgarity. To anyone that didn't know her, Leia could've easily been considered as the typical blue-collar, upper class act in society when acknowledging her steeply priced attire, and how she regally carried herself in overall etiquette. But to Rey and those who knew and loved her most, Leia was simply a rare gem who possessed the desirable traits of a beautiful human being – inside and out.

"And what of the latter?" Rey inquired while absentmindedly picking chunks of crust off the top of her muffin she'd been meaning to eat.

Leia took a short breath. "That is when you allow yourself to move into the next chapter of your life, and you carry that person with you in a way that helps inspire how you choose to continue living."

As Leia's words sunk into her thoughts, Rey felt the unavoidable pressure of tears brewing from behind her eyes. Since the funeral she had been so certain she'd cried the last of them – until now. Her eyes flitted downward to the sugary ration in hand before quickly diverting back to Leia's, blinking them rapidly to lessen the urge.

"You sound as if you speak from experience?"

Leia nodded whilst exerting the irrefutable look of sadness in her eyes. "Roughly ten years ago, my husband, Han, passed away about as unexpectedly as Poe had. Only his was due to a heart attack."

Rey frowned at her admission, or rather if it was possible for her to frown anymore than what she was already before Leia's disclosure of her personal tragedy. "Leia, I'm so sorry..."

Leia smiled knowingly. "And I was just as equally stubborn as you. Except I almost envy you that you were able to acknowledge your feelings over the matter a lot sooner than I was willing to. Rey, it took me almost a month to cry. And I wish I could say that it gets easier over time; which it will. But I'd like to say that it's more of the pain seceding into a duller form of where that initial pain once existed."

Choosing to remain mute over the subject to hinder herself from crying, Rey nodded in agreement. Where she had initially been starving she began to feel that presence of hunger fade.

"But - ," Leia added, breaking the fleeting sound of silence as she sighed heavily. "Of course, not all of us were able to deal with his passing like I was able to."

Rey scoffed, knowing precisely whom which Leia was referring to. Since that awkward – no, mortifying moment in the Damerons' bathroom the day of the funeral, Rey had managed to push all thoughts of Ben Solo into the furthest recesses of her mind. Until now, she found herself articulating his name aloud for the first time.

"Ben," she stated with bemused dryness. Suddenly, that muffin looked far more appealing than it had initially been a few moments prior just to avoid saying anything she'd ultimately regret later on.

Leia arched a brow in acknowledgment to Rey's tone. "I take it you two met then?"

Rey confirmed her query with a slow nod, now tearing off a piece of the sustenance she'd been absentmindedly playing with since she first picked it up and was now lying partially in crumbs at her feet.

"We did. But we didn't exactly get off on the right foot."

Leia snorted. "I wish I could say that I'm not entirely surprised. Ben can be a pompous ass at times, but I'd consider it being more of a mask to shield the heart he generally wears on his sleeve. If there's anyone that could remotely connect with you, Ben would be that person. And I'm not saying that just because he's my son."

Rey scowled at the well-intended notion. She knew Leia was only trying to help in whatever ways she could, but the thought of connecting with Ben on any level after what had happened the other day was enough to make her nauseous. To save herself from further explaining the noticeable grimace on her face, Rey blamed it on accidentally biting her cheek while chewing the gourmet delicacy.

Besides – if she would've considered the option of facing Ben after that previous embarrassing encounter, how could she possibly approach him without acknowledging the awkwardness that had already rendered between them? Then, there was also the fact that he would surely be leaving soon to tend to his luxurious life in LA. If (and that was a big if) she ever considered the unlikely option to ever see him again he would be out of her life as fast as she would've allowed him to enter like everyone else did whom she allowed herself to become close to. Surely, he wouldn't consider sticking around just for her.

"Anyways," Leia started, sensing the apparent discomfort of the subject, "Finn briefly mentioned earlier that you were seeing a lawyer today?"

Rey breathed an irrevocable sigh in relief at the change in subject. "Yeah, Poe's parents and I weren't sure if he ever conceived a will; at least, so far we haven't been able to attain one. So I thought maybe she could help."

"Which lawyer are you having handle it, may I ask?"

Rey bit into another chunk of muffin just before Leia had inquired. She shifted the food around in her mouth, purposely to speak through an unoccupied corner of her lips. "Maz Kanata."

"Oh, yes." Leia countered with a perceptive grin. "Maz is a good friend of mine. I can definitely assure you that you'll be in good hands."

The two women conversed for what appeared to be approaching two hours in time, engaging in talk over a variety of topics. Rey listened intently all the while indulging further into her food before the fleeting sound of a whistle that was Leia's phone alerting her of the arrival of a text message.

"I swear every time I hear that thing I always think it's a goddamn creeper whistling at me." Leia remarked as she glanced at the screen, narrowing her eyes to perceive the tiny lettering and proceeded to roll them at the invisible sender. "It would appear that a certain dynamic duo is growing irritable with their lack of sustenance and caffeine that I had promised them."

Rey chuckled lightly. "It's okay. I should be going anyways just to make sure I haven't missed anything before my consultation with Maz."

Leia nodded in agreement. Both women rose in unison, gathering all remnants of trash and sharing a quick hug before parting their separate ways.

"Thank you so much for your help, Leia." Rey stated with a genuine smile in appreciation to the other woman's company. "I definitely needed it."

Leia returned the merit with a smile that mirrored Rey's. "I'm just a text or a phone call away. Please, don't hesitate if you need someone to talk to."

Rey smiled appreciatively in response.

**

If there was one thing that made Maz Kanata stand out from the rest of the lawyers in the city of Boulder it had been that of her impressive track record for being one of the more fiercely, renowned defense attorneys in the area.

Judging by the photo provided of Maz on her firm's website, Rey only knew that the woman she was meeting was considerably older in age than Leia. Her purposely dyed, russet brown hair was short with tightly perm curls. Her overly bronzed skin appeared to be as if she'd been in the sun for a majority of her life. She wore significantly large, black frames for glasses with lenses that appeared to be at least a quarter of an inch thick, exceedingly increasing the size of her soft brown eyes and a kind smile that curved upright into a tiny u-shape.

What she hadn't expected to see was that the woman's seemingly large repute had been crammed into a body that couldn't have been any taller than 4'8." Her voice was hospitably warm and welcoming; enough to make Rey believe that Maz had known her for years rather than sheer seconds as Maz led her from the waiting area of her office to a small consultation room.

"It is so nice to meet you," Rey greeted wholeheartedly. "Leia spoke very highly of you when I talked to her earlier."

"Oh!" Maz exclaimed utterly. Her tiny eyes easily shimmered brightly behind the enormous lenses on her face, making the joy of mentioning her friend's name all the more prominent. "You know Leia? How wonderful! Now, if I remember correctly..." Her words trailed off briefly in thought. "She has a son that's not far from your age, does she not? Ben – that's his name!"

Bloody hell, Rey chided wordlessly to herself with a hopefully, unnoticeable scowl. "Yes," she affirmed with a fake smile in acknowledgment to her query.

"Let me tell you something," Maz started with a timbre that made what she was about to say sound like some sort of big secret. "If I were forty years younger I would never hesitate pursuing that sexy honey pot. And from what I hear now he's quite the beefcake. It's been years since I've seen him."

Rey's face grew more expressive, begrudgingly, against her own wishes. She'd only be lying to herself if she hadn't considered Ben unconventionally attractive during that brief moment when she'd locked eyes with him at the funeral. A cold chill from the air conditioning prompted a shudder to roll across her shoulder, snapping her momentary lapse in thoughts from the real reason she was here – and that was not to discuss Ben Solo's good looks.

"Anyways," Rey quickly added to save her own sanity whilst purposely handing over the papers she'd been clutching a little too tightly in that brief moment of deflection. "Here are the documents of Poe's financial statements that you requested per our talk on the phone earlier."

"Oh, yes, thank you." Maz stated as she took the papers from her hand. Her eyes flicked over the printed lettering on the document that was atop of the relatively thick pile. "Now, Rey did you and Poe share names on anything: car title, loans, anything along those particular lines?"

Rey shook her head briefly, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. "No. Actually, he just paid the first down payment on a house we recently bought together." Her face grew solemn as she looked down to acknowledge the engagement ring still residing on her finger. "We hadn't even moved in yet; which, I can't afford it by myself even if I wanted to keep it."

A glimmer of empathy flickered through Maz's eyes as she furrowed her brows. "I really am sorry for your loss. Poe was a good man. And I honestly hate to be the one to tell you this, but I couldn't find any legalized documents that stated Poe had declared a beneficiary to his assets. Which, unfortunately, in the state of Colorado all assets are automatically ascended to the next living blood relative. "

Rey felt her heart sink at the anticipated statement, knowing that Maz was delicately telling her that everything he owned would rightfully go back to Kes and Shara – including their home. With Rey having a salary from the art store, she knew there was no way that his parents would allow her to continue living there without handing over the mortgage payment.

"Thank you for trying at least," Rey expressed solemnly with a weak smile.

Maz nodded as she continued glancing through the documents on her desk. "I'm sorry I couldn't provide any better news for -." She halted mid-sentence with eyes narrowed downward at a particular document in hand. "Where's the statement for this big account?"

Rey scoffed; confused at what she was imploring. "What big account?"

With purpose, Maz quickly began to search through the remaining papers in the pile, shaking her head with an overt look of confusion on her face. "There's $48,000 in tax returns on here for his investment account and I'm not seeing any statements for it."

Rey blinked, her eyes searched briefly around the general vicinity in thought as she haphazardly configured digits in her head. "$48,000 would be about what he had in savings, right?"

"No, that's $48,000 in interest Rey."

Rey nearly gasped whilst considering the notion that her heart was about to burst out of the confinements of her chest, eyeing Maz with a knowing look.

"And..." Maz trailed off as she quickly configured the equation on a nearby calculator, "in order for an account to generate that substantial sort of amount the balance would have to be roughly a million dollars."